Yes, anti-cheat programs can sometimes affect hardware through system instability or resource overload.
Yes, anti-cheat programs can sometimes affect hardware through system instability or resource overload.
I think many readers are unaware that the Helldivers 2 community is currently experiencing significant issues, mainly due to declining game performance over time. Fans are frustrated because developers have taken a long time to address the problems. Some have even reported their computers failing after using the game. While concrete evidence is scarce beyond anecdotal reports, many point the finger at the game’s anti-cheat system, nGameGuard. One Reddit thread referenced a Steam discussion from over a year ago where a YouTuber named Claysthetics claimed his SSD was damaged by nGameGuard. I’m new to HD2 and haven’t faced any hardware problems in my first few hours of play. Still, I’m unsure if anti-cheat software could actually harm hardware or cause serious data loss. It’s possible that those who report issues might be overlooking other underlying problems and simply blaming the game. I’d like to continue playing but have been hesitant in recent weeks after seeing these claims. Anyone with more experience could offer valuable perspective? Here’s the relevant Steam thread from last year: https://steamcommunity.com/app/553850/di...681304166/
Theoretically, it's doable. Software that interferes with hardware has a long record, and modern devices include strong safeguards to reduce that chance. GPUs are known to recognize heavy usage patterns like Furmark and will limit performance to avoid damage, as seen with older cards. There was a reported incident where New World allegedly broke RTX 3080 and 3090 units. Determining if the software was the direct cause or revealed a more serious problem is uncertain. I haven't heard of anti-cheat triggering this issue, but because its access is minimal, it could be a plausible scenario. This doesn't mean anti-cheat permanently breaks systems, just that it's possible in theory.
I've never cheated in online games before, which doesn't seem to have worked.
MANY COMPONENTS NEED TO FAIL FOR ANTICHEAT TO CAUSE HARDWARE FAILURE. REALISTICALLY, the software isn’t the only thing worth investigating—it’s not unique in its potential impact. In fact, I’d say a game engine is more likely to be the culprit than anticheat. Still, many people lack the technical skills to tell whether a serious system issue or a complete crash is at fault, making it easy to blame the nearest obvious problem.
Software isn't responsible for harming hardware unless specific circumstances exist. Voltages are altered, CPU/GPU is overclocked. NAND flash wear is increasing due to excessive write cycles in SSDs, often because of a flaw. All components must be built to handle the maximum expected load within their specifications. They should automatically reduce speed, lower voltage, and even power down as a safety feature. I emphasize this is primarily a hardware design concern. Essentially, no matter how inefficient a program is, hardware must be robust enough to survive extreme conditions or shut down to avoid lasting damage.
It was actually the New World issue where the game damaged people's RTX 3090 cards a few years ago. The responsibility should clearly lie with the GPU's VRMs not managing the high power demands.